Let's Talk Lasik.
If you are considering Lasik surgery or know someone who is this is a great place to get started.
LASIK is an acrony for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is a refractive surgery procedure intended to reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses.
Why Lasik - The Eye and Vision Errors
The cornea is a part of the eye that helps focus light to create an image on the retina. It works in much the same way that the lens of a camera focuses light to create an image on film. The bending and focusing of light is also known as refraction. Usually the shape of the cornea and the eye are not perfect and the image on the retina is out-of-focus (blurred) or distorted. These imperfections in the focusing power of the eye are called refractive errors. There are three primary types of refractive errors: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Persons with myopia, or nearsightedness, have more difficulty seeing distant objects as clearly as near objects. Persons with hyperopia, or farsightedness, have more difficulty seeing near objects as clearly as distant objects. Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities in the cornea or lens of the eye. Combinations of myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism are common. Glasses or contact lenses are designed to compensate for the eye's imperfections. Surgical procedures aimed at improving the focusing power of the eye are called refractive surgery. In Lasik surgery, precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue by a special laser reshapes the cornea changing its focusing power.
Lasik - The Procedure
The first step in the lasik procedure consists of mapping the corneal surface with a computer controlled scanning device to determine the exact shape. Then the appropriate amount of tissue which needs to be removed is calculated, such that upon replacing the flap there is no need (or less need) for corrective devices like spectacles and lenses. The ablation (or vaporization) is carried out by a computer controlled laser.
This lasik procedure is used for vision correction, i.e. the removal or reduction of dependence on corrective devices. The benefits of the lasik surgery are large and obvious - cosmetic, utilitarian and psychological. However, there is a small chance of complications like corneal infection, haziness, halo or glare, amongst others. The lasik procedure is irreversible.
Lasik technology is improving at a rapid pace, but a large body of conclusive evidence on the chances of long-term complications is not yet in place.
A 2004 Wake Forest University study found that Lasik results are affected by heat and humidity, both during the procedure and in the two weeks preceding surgery
Lasik - What the FDA regulates
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the sale of medical devices such as the lasers used for lasik. Before a medical device can be legally sold in the U.S., the person or company that wants to sell the device must seek approval from the FDA... more